EUGENE – The Ohio State Buckeyes currently rank No.1 in team recruiting in the Big Ten Conference, while the Oregon Ducks are close behind at No. 2. However, Oregon is in a position to land major recruits in the coming weeks. Could a couple of commitments from some of the nation’s top prospects push the Ducks into the No. 1 slot?
During the offseason, Oregon has been competitive on the recruiting trail, landing some of the nation’s top recruits in the class of 2025.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during practice with the Oregon Ducks Thursday, April 4, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA
Although Oregon is dominating the Big Ten in recruiting, one program is beating out Oregon for the class of 2025 recruits: the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Oregon and Ohio State’s rivalry has existed long before Oregon’s entrance into the Big Ten Conference. In fact, a Buckeye tree is planted outside the Lillis Business Complex on the University of Oregon’s campus, a souvenir from the 1958 Rose Bowl. The tree was planted at the University of Oregon following the Ducks’ loss to the Buckeyes.
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Jul 5, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; General view of the Lillis Business Complex, home of the Lundquist College of Business, at the University of Oregon. The school is playing host to the the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sixty-six years later, the Oregon-Ohio State rivalry continues and has seemingly grown stronger since The Ducks entered the Big Ten Conference. Oregon and Ohio State are competing for the No. 1 spots across the board. The Ducks and Buckeyes are the top-two favorites for the Big Ten Conference title, in the conversation for this season’s national championship, and the top recruiters in the Big Ten Conference.
Oregon sits at No.2 behind Ohio State in 2025 recruits, but many Oregon prospects are announcing their decisions in the coming weeks – putting Oregon in a position with opportunity to claim the No. 1 spot.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (98), linebacker Gabe Powers (36) and defensive end Caden Curry (92) compete during a spring football game on April 13, 2024. / Barbara J. Perenic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Dan Lanning and his staff are waiting for decisions from DJ Pickett, Trey McNutt, Jonah Willams, and Michael Terry III. Could one or more commitments from these athletes be enough to push Oregon into the top spot? More updates to come.
The Ducks sit at No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference and No. 3 nationally in terms of 2024 recruits.
The Ducks boast one of the country’s most talented and athletic 2024 recruiting classes. Oregon’s impressive list of incoming freshmen includes Gatlin Bair, a five-star wide receiver; Elijah Rushing, a five-star edge; Aydin Breland, a four-star defensive lineman; and more.
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Michigan State defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (41) celebrates after sacking Akron quarterback Jeff Undercuffler Jr. (13) during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
On top of that, Oregon’s 2024 transfer class is ranked No. 2 in the nation, second only to Ole Miss, which has 24 total incoming transfers (Oregon has 14).
Oregon’s list of transfers includes the Ducks’ starting quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, Peyton Woodyard, Jabbar Muhamed, and Derrick Harmon, among others.
The University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to approve a $1.55 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year.
But they asked university leadership to return with an amended proposal by Dec. 15, when more details about future budget cuts will be known.
FILE — The Board of Trustees recently approved next year’s budget for the University of Oregon. The vote comes several weeks after the school’s president announced that he wants the university to reduce its annual budget as revenues and out-of-state enrollment decline.
Brian Bull / KLCC
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The vote comes several weeks after University of Oregon President Karl Scholz announced that he wants the school to reduce its annual budget by around $65 million.
At a trustees meeting Monday, Scholz said the estimated budget shortfall for next year is just around $23 million. But he said out-of-state enrollment is below historical norms for the second year in a row, and it’s unlikely to bounce back.
“One year can be an aberration. Two years is a pattern,” said Scholz. “And I believe we have to treat it as a new reality.”
Scholz said in May that discussions about the budget would happen over a six-month period. He said no final decisions about cuts would be made over this summer.
On Monday, UO Senate President Dyana Mason told trustees that the Senate had approved a new process to allow for community feedback in the cost-cutting process.
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Mason said the provost will work with the deans on budget proposals, finding “clear rationale” for why programs are considered for elimination.
The provost would then bring those proposals to the Senate Committee for Academic Modifications—which includes staff, faculty and students—for feedback.
Once the plans are nearly finalized, the Senate could then hold a period for public comment.
Mason told trustees that a six-month timeline is better than the three months that frustrated some staff last year, but she recommended taking however much time is necessary.
“The worst situation would be rushing forward to make decisions without appropriate evidence, data, feedback from the people that are most in the know about the impact on our students,” said Mason.
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UO’s Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda said that every week that university delays the decisions could cost them millions of dollars.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom.This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
